Heat pipes have been suggested for cooling electronic components. Generally, a heat pipe includes an evaporating section to take in heat and a condensing section to expel heat. A working fluid is contained in the heat pipe for transferring heat from the evaporating section to the condensing section. In use, heat absorbed by the evaporating section of the heat pipe boils the working fluid, and then, the working fluid is converted into a vapor. The vapor travels to the condensing section where it condenses to a liquid and gives up its heat. The liquid returns back to the evaporating section by gravity or a wick, and then the cycle starts again.
However, a heat pipe has its limits such as wicking limit, boiling limit and entrainment limit. Measuring devices can measure a heat conduction performance of the heat pipe to determine which limit affects the heat conduction. A conventional measuring device for measuring the heat conduction of a heat pipe includes a first platform, a second platform, a heating element, a cooling element and a plurality of thermal probes. The first platform defines a plurality of first holes for receiving the evaporating section of the heat pipe, the heating element and the thermal probes. The second platform defines a plurality of second holes for receiving the condensing section of the heat pipe, the cooling element and the thermal probes. However, the evaporating section of the heat pipe is connected with the first platform directly and rigidly, inevitably, a number of small gaps exist between an outer surface of the evaporating section and an inner surface defining the first hole for receiving the evaporating section of the heat pipe. Air in the small gaps unduly increases thermal resistance. This may result in an error between measuring values and the actual heat conduction performance of the heat pipe.
Thus, an improved device which can accurately test heat conduction performance of a heat pipe is desired.